The Telephone. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE POVERTY BAY STANDARD. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 252, 4 October 1884, Page 2

The Telephone. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE POVERTY BAY STANDARD. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4.

During the course of his remarks before the Liberal Association Mr. DeLautour said one of the leading questions they had to consider was, What is Liberalism, and is there such a thing ? There were many whose political gospel was every person for himself, but there was a spirit in man higher than selfishness, and the greatest happiness of the greatest number was one of the principal aims on the Liberal platform. The people of New Zealand had the power of government in their own hands, but Liberalism should not be content to rest there. There was the question of taxation, and the question plurality of votes, which materially affects the elections. But our system of franchise is a good one, and is at present in the front rank. They sent a representative to Parliament to abolish plurality of votes and the taxation of property ; but instead of doing that he was asked if he could get this railway, or this bridge. In many districts some would say to their representative, why did you not get this or get that for us ? Get us a post-office like what they have got elsewhere, and numerous other requirements. He would like to see Auckland having the best intellects of New Zealand representing it in Parliament. He did not think that Government would be able to earn' the reform in the franchise, but it devolved upon Liberals to have it enforced. Liberalism, as represented by such an association as the one before him, had many good and useful works to perform. One would be the substitution of abandoned Liberal politics for the present parochial system. Another thing should be the encouragement of commercial morality. In forming a Liberal Association many difficulties had to be encountered”,

but the mere effort to overcome them would certainly redound to the benefit of members, There was the growth of asocial class acquiring wealth and power that would have to be watched. It was the duty of Liberals to deal with the education of the count y. Education, in spite of all that has been said again.,t it in England was the greatest boon, the loveliest jewel in the crown of Liberalism. By its means the humblest boy or girl might aspire to the highest rank in life. At the present time he had no doubt that it unfitted children of humble birth to fill their place in society, but when every class was educated, the child would not be unfitted for his home. He would bring a mind well stored to the business in which his father had previously earned an honest livelihood. Liberals had nothing to fear from the franchise, and if he thought that Liberals did not trust in the existence of a Creator of all things, he would at once be a Conservative and would distrust them. Mere ethical precept had never yet sufficed to make a new country like New Zealand moral. And it was his confidence in such a power that made him look with assurance upon the true instincts of the Liberal community as being the surest and safest good of a young nation. The Association which asked him to lecture here that night required strength, and he would like to see a large number of the people of Auckland enrolling themselves as members of the Auckland Liberal Association. He was informed that the Auckland Parliamentary Union was likely to be Conservative. If that statement was correct, it then devolved upon the Liberals to attend the meetings of the Union and endeavour to push ahead and storm the Conservatives.